US1862479A - Automatic can feeder - Google Patents

Description

June 7, 1932. GASPER Y 1,862,479

AUTOMATIC CAN FEEDER Filed Aug. 30, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Jo/m/ 645/ 5 A TTORNEYS.

June 7, v1932. J. GASPER AUTOMATIC CAN FEEDER Filed Aug. 50, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Joy/V 6/15/ 0? K/ACu M A TTORNEYS.

J. GASPER 1,862,479

AUTOMATIC CAN FEEDER June 7, 1932.

Filed Aug. 30, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 'c/O/l/V 645F157? ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES JOHN GASPER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T LIGGETT & MYERS TOBACCO COM- IPAN'Y, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY AUTOMATIC CAN FEEDER Application filed August 30, 1929. Serial No. 389,403.

This invention is an improvement in automatic can feeders, and more particularly in a mechanism for feeding cans with hinged covers to canning equipment.

In a certain type of can, such for instance, as are used for holding smoking tobacco, the cans have hinged covers. The tobacco is usually packaged and the package is inserted in the opened can. To enable the operation of the canning equipment, the covers must be opened before the cans are placed therein, and this is usually done by an operator.

One of the primary objects or the present invention is the provision of a feeder, for

13 feeding cans of this type in succession from a magazine, wherein means is provided for opening the covers and for holding them opened in position for the insertion of a charge of material.

Another object is the provision of means in connection with the machine for transfer ring the cans with the covers open to the carrier of the canning machine, that is, the machine which inserts the charge.

Another object is to provide mechanism in connection with the machine, for enabling the ejectment of improperly positioned cans from the machine without damage to the can and without transfer to the carrier of the can- 'go ning machine.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination ofparts fully described hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims appended hereto, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a part hereof Fig. 1 is a side view.

Fig. 2 is a plan View.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail in side elevation of the cover opening mechanism.

Figs. 1, 5 and 6 are sections on the lines l4, 55 and 6-6, respectively, of Fig. 1.

The improved machine is designed to operate upon cans of the type such as are used 5 for holding smoking tobacco, that is, a can having a hinged cover. Such cans are usually filled by machinery, the tobacco being formed lnto a package, usually with waterproof paper, which is pushed into the can, the cans,

being transported by a suitable carrier. In the usual method, the can-covers are opened by the operator,

In the construction shown, the cans indicated at l are arranged'within a, suitable magazine 2, from which they are fed one by one toa carrier. The cans are arranged in the magazine with the covers closed, and with the long axis of the can horizontal. In the present instance, the carrier is a chain 3, composed of pairs of laterally spaced links, and to the outer faces of the members of sun-' dry of the pairs, plates or lugs 4 are secured, each pair of lugs being designedto engage the lowermost can in the magazine, near the ends thereof, and deliver it from the magazine as the chain moves. I Y

The chain or [carrier is supported I by sprocket wheels 5 and 6, secured on the shafts 7 and 8, journaled in a suitable frame 9, in such manner that the upper run of the carrier issubstantially horizontal, and passes beneaththe lower end of the magazine 2.

"The shaft 7 has bearing blocks 10 journaled in guides 11 in the frame, and it is adjusted toward and from the shaft 8, by means of the set screws 12 threaded through the ends of the guides, and engaging the bearing blocks. By this mechanism, the tension of the carrier will be adjusted.

As the cans are moved forwardly by the carrier, that is, to the right-of Fig. 1, they pass beneath a'guide 13, in the form of an angle plate secured to the magazine, and extending forwardly above the upper run of the carrier, and substantially parallel therewith. The tops of the covers of the cans are engaged by a spring guide 13a, which serves to properly position the canson the carrier, Asthe cans pass from beneath the guides 13, they move beneath other guides 14 and 14a, supported by a swinging frame15, pivoted at 16 to standard 16a on the frame 9. Beneath the swinging frame the cans are supported by plates 17 and 18, mounted on a tabIe 20, which forms the top of the frame at this inc point. The plates 17 and 18 are so arranged that the cans rest upon the plates near their ends, as shown in Fig. 5, the plates being at opposite sides of the carrier. Between the plates 17 and 18, the cans are supported by a rod 21.

The guide 14a is supported by threaded stems 22 secured to the guides, which are in the form of angle plates, and the stems extend upwardly through the swinging frame 15. Nuts 23 are engaged with the stems above the frame, and springs 24 are arranged between the guides and the frame, normally acting to press the guides downwardly. A pair of rollers 25 is journaled on the guide 14a, and the peripheries of the rollers extend below the guides, so that while the rollers contact with the cans, the guides are spaced slightly above them, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

While the cans are beneath the rollers 25, the hinged covers 26 thereof are opened. As shown, the cans are arranged on the carrier with the hinges upward, and the opening is done by fingers 27 each of which is pivoted at 28 to a bracket 29 on the table 20. Each of the fingers has a roller 30 which is adapted to be engaged by cams 31 on the carrier. When a cam engages a roller, the finger is pressed outward, as shown'in Fig. 4, and the cover is opened. As soon as the can has passed the roller, the finger is returned to its normal position, by means of a spring 32. The two fingers are arranged alongside each other, as shown, and they are operated simultaneously.

After opening, the covers are fully opened and retained in opened position, by means of cam elements 33 and 34. These elements force the cover completely open, and hold it in such position. Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the cam element 33 is en gaged by the cover immediately after it leaves the finger 27. The cam gradually increases in height, so that the cover is opened further as it is carried by the carrier, and the cover eventually engages the cam element 34, which fully opens the cover, and holds it open, as shown in Fig. 3.

After the can covers have been fully opened, and pass from beneath the swinging frame, they are moved laterally into position to be engaged by fingers 35 on a carrier, running substantially parallel with the carrier 3, and at its level, and forming a part of the usual canning equipment. This machine forms no part of the invention and is for this reason not shown more fully. The cans are moved laterally by means of guides 36 and 37. The guide 36 is fixed, being supported from the table by a bracket 38. The guide 37 is pivoted to the table as shown at 39, and it is normally spring pressed toward the guide 36, by means of a spring 40, arranged between the free end of the guide 37 and the table. 7

It will be noticed referring to Fig. 2, that the fingers 35 are provided with guides 41, which .are adapted to enter the open end of the can, and in case a can should be improperly arranged in the magazine, so that the bottom is toward the carrier 35, or should for any reason a cover not be opened, the guides 41 of the fingers cannot enter the cans, but instead will engage the bottom of the closed cover. When this happens, the guide 37 yields, so that the carrier 3 may move the improperly placed cans from the machine without damage to the machine or to the can.

The operation is as follows. The cans are placed in the magazine, with the covers toward the front. As the carrier moves, the cans are moved from the magazine in succession, each pair of lugs 4 removing the lowermost can. The cans are positioned on the carrier by the elements 13-13a. As the cans pass beneath the swinging frame, the covers are engaged by the fingers 27, and the covers are opened, the cans being held yieldingly upon the carrier by the rollers 25.

The swinging frame in which the rollers are mounted is arranged to be swung upward from above the carrier, to enable access to the cans thereon. To enable this movement, a handle 42 is provided. The covers are fully opened by the cams 33 and 34, and are deflected laterally by the cams 3637, into engagement with the fingers 35, the guides 41 passing into the open ends of the cans. If a can is improperly placed, the guides cannot enter, and the can is discharged by the carrier 3.

It will be apparent from an inspection of Figs. 4, 5 and 6, that the cans upon which the machine is adapted to operate, have flanged hinged covers, and that the fingers 27 engage the flanges to provide for initial opening of the cover. The opening movement is completed by the cams 33 and 34.

lVhat is claimed as new is 1. In a machine for automatically feeding hinged cover cans tofilling mechanism, means for supporting and transporting a series of cans in like relation, hook means engaging the free edges of the cover, said means being pivotally mounted for oscillation in a direction generally toward and from the can body and lengthwise thereof, and means carried by the transporting means for operating said hook means for imparting an initial opening movement to the covers.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 with the addition of fixed cams arranged longitudinally of the transporting means and acting on the covers to move them to fully open position.

3. In a machine for automatically feeding hinged cover cans to filling mechanism, means for supporting and transporting a series of cans in like relation, and means engaging the free edges of the cover and operated by the movement of the transporting means for imparting an initial opening movement to the covers, said means including pivoted fingers for engaging the free edges of the covers, and cams on the transporting means for moving the fingers.

4. In a machine for automatically feeding hinged cover cans to filling mechanism, means for supporting and transporting a series of cans in like relation, means engaging the free edges of the cover and operated by the movement of the transporting means for imparting an initial opening movement to the covers, and other means for fully opening the covers and holding them open, said last named means including an inclined cam for opening the cover to beyond a position in the plane of the axis of the can, and a second cam for moving the cover into the plane of the open end and for holding it in such position.

5. In a machine for automatically feeding cans having hinged flanged covers, means for supporting and transporting a series of cans in like relation With their long axes positioned horizontally, means engaging the free edges of the covers to release the flanges and operated by the transporting means, and means for fully opening the covers and holding them in vertical position parallel to the plane of the open ends of the cans.

6. In a machine for automatically feeding cans having hinged flanged covers, means for supporting and transporting a series of cans in like relation, and means at the cover ends of the cans and operated by the transporting means for releasing the flanges of the covers and partially opening said covers, said means including resilient pressing Wheels engaging above the cans, and relatively fixed pivoted fingers for engaging the flanges of the covers.

7. In a machine for automatically feeding hinged cover cans to filling mechanism, means for supporting a series of cans, means for transporting the series of cans in like relation on said supporting means, means engaging the free edges of the cover and operated by the movement of the transporting means for imparting an initial opening movement to the covers, means yieldably holding the cans during operation of said cover opening means, other means for fully opening the covers and holding them open, and means for moving the cans longitudinally from the feeding machine toward the filling mechanism With the covers held open for entry of guides of elements of the feeding mechanism into the can bodies.

8. In a machine for automatically feeding hinged cover cans to filling mechanism having means to engage Within the open ends of the cans, means for supporting and transporting a series of cans in like relation, and means engaging the free edges of the cover and ope'rated by the movement of the transporting means for opening. the covers into the planes of the open ends'to enablethe first named means to engage Within said open end. 9. Ina machine for automatically feeding hinged cover cans to filling i mechanism having means to engage'within the open-ends of the cans, means forsupporting and transportingaseriesof cans in like relation, means engagingthe free edges of the cover and operated by the'movement of the transporting means for opening the covers into the planes ofthe open ends to enable the first named means to engage Within said open end, and meansforv moving the cans longitudinally toward-the filling mechanism.

l0. In a machine for automatically feeding hinged-cover cans to filling mechanism havingmeansto "engage Within the open ends of the cans, means for supporting and transporting a series of; cans in like relation, means engaging the free. edges of the cover and operated by the movement of the transporting means for openingv the covers into the planes ofthe 'open ends to enable the first named means to-engagTe 'Within'said open end, and means for moving. the-cans longitudinally toward the-filling, mechanism, said means bein-g yield'able to enable improperly positioned cans to remain with the transporting means.- ,11.- In amachine for automatically feeding hinged-flangedcover cans to filling mech anism including a carrier having means to extend Within the open ends of the respective cans, transporting mechanism for the cans, means to open the hinged covers operated by the movement of the transporting mechanism, and mechanism to move the cans longitudinally to cause said means of the carrier to enter the open ends of the cans, said mechanism including a yieldable member for the purpose specified.

12. In a. machine for automatically opening the covers of containers, a conveyor, spaced elements on said conveyor to maintain a series of containers in spaced relation for movement on the conveyor, means movable into engagement with the covers to impart opening movement thereto, and means on the conveyor adjacent said spaced elements to move said first means as each can is brought into a predetermined position relative to said first means.

13. In a machine for automatically opening the covers of containers, an endless conveyor, a chute having an open bottom above the conveyor to feed the containers to the conveyor, a plurality of members fixedly secured to the conveyor in spaced relation and having upstanding portions to engage a side of the containers as the conveyor moves beneath the chute, means movable into engagement With the covers of the containers to impart opening movement thereto, and means on the conveyor between the spaced members to operate said first means as each can is brought into position for engagement of said first means with the cover.

14. In a machine for automatically opening the covers of containers, an endless conveyor, a chute having an open bottom above the conveyor to feed the containers to the conveyor, a plurality of members fixedly secured to the conveyor in spaced relation and having upstanding portions to engage a side of the containers as the conveyor moves beneath the chute, means movable into engagement with the covers of the containers to impart opening movement thereto, means on the conveyor between the spaced members to operate said first means as each can is brought into position for engagement of said first means with the cover, a support for the lower face of the can, a support for the upper face of can, and anti-friction elements yieldably mounted on the upper support to engage the upper face of the can during operation of said cover opening means.

15. The structure of claim 12 wherein the means movable into engagement with the covers comprises a pivoted finger having an extension extending toward the conveyor, and the means on the conveyor to move said finger comprises a lug to contact said extension as the conveyor moves.

Signed at Chicago in the county of Cook and State of Illinois this eighth day of August A. D. 1929.

JOHN GASPER.

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